Aug. 18th Zoe's Birthday

A Soul to love in the heavenly sphere
    Is better than souls in the flesh,
For hearts may change with the changing year
    And the old wounds bleed afresh.

Men for the living must often mourn;
    Only the dead are immortal,
Their radiant brows our garlands adorn
    As they lean from the shining portal.

They are ever the same in our loyal hearts
    Only larger as time goes by;
And more translucent the wall that parts
    Our being from their on high.

While Zoë, the Darling, gladdened earth
    What dearer had life to bring?